1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to an ink-jet printer, and more particularly, to an ink-jet printer having a maintenance mechanism for preventing a malfunction of a recording head of the ink-jet printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, many types of ink-jet printers having cleaning mechanisms have been known. In such ink-jet printers, ink drops are ejected from nozzles of a recording head toward a recording medium, which is being transported by a transporting device (e.g., platen roller). When the recording head is not in use (that is, when the printing operation is not performed), the nozzle surface of the recording head is covered with a suction cap, and the ink remaining in the recording head is sucked out by a suction pump via the suction cap. The nozzle surface is subsequently wiped by a wiper to keep the recording head clean.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,343 discloses an ink-jet printer as discussed above. In general, the suction cap is moved toward, and drawn back from, a cleaning position by a carriage-driving motor and an associated cam. The suction pump is activated by a paper-feed motor and another cam. Thus, the actions of the suction cap and the suction pump are controlled separately using different driving power sources. The wiper is always positioned at the cleaning position on the sliding path of the carriage.
Because the suction cap and the suction pump are activated by separate cams and motors in the conventional ink-jet printers, the structure and control of the cleaning mechanism are complicated.